Senate · Afternoon Sitting

Clerk, do we have quorum? Serjeant-at-Arms, kindly ring the Quorum Bell for 10 minutes. Hon. Senators, we now have quorum. Clerk, kindly proceed to call the first Order. Is the Senator Majority Leader not here? Proceed, Chairperson, Committee on Energy.

[(The Quorum Bell was rung)]

Mr. Speaker, Sir, I beg to lay the following Paper on the Table of the Senate today, Thursday, 17th April 2025- The Report of the Standing Committee on Energy on County Oversight and Networking Engagements in Wajir County. Mr. Speaker, Sir, I beg to lay.

[(Sen. (Dr.) Oburu laid the document on the Table)]

Next Order, Statements pursuant to Standing Order No.53 (1) . Proceed, Sen. (Dr.) Khalwale.

Thank you so much, Mr. Speaker, Sir. I rise pursuant to Standing Order No.53 (1) to seek a statement from the Standing Committee on Finance and Budget on a matter of countrywide concern regarding the purchase and disposal of motor vehicles by the County Government of Kakamega. In the statement, the committee should address the following-

Senator for Busia County, Sen. Omtatah, proceed.

Mr. Speaker, Sir, thank you for the opportunity. For general information, I am a Senator from Busia County. I am not a Senator for Busia County. My oath did not involve Busia County; it involved the Republic. So, I am rightly addressed as a Senator from Busia County and not for Busia County. Mr. Speaker, Sir, I rise pursuant to Standing Order No.53 (1) to seek a Statement from the Standing Commit…

What is your point of order, Senator for Kakamega?

Mr. Speaker, Sir, you were consulting when the Senator for Busia started speaking. He has denied that he is not the Senator for Busia and made a lot of statements about it. Under Standing Order No.105, what is he talking about?

Sen. Omtatah, are you the Senator for Busia or not?

Mr. Speaker, Sir, I am the Senator from Busia, not for Busia. I am a Senator of the Republic of Kenya from Busia County. This is a national House. It is the Parliament of Kenya; it is not the Parliament of Busia. So, I am elected by the people of Busia to sit in the national Parliament. Therefore, English, it is that. I am a Senator ‘from’ Busia, not ‘for’ Busia.

So, you are the Senator elected by the people of Busia for the Republic of Kenya?

Yes, Mr. Speaker, Sir.

Is that the title you would want to be known for?

Yes, that is why I am able to go to Isiolo and demand accountability.

Okay.

It is English-English.

So, Sen. Omtatah, who has been elected by the people of Busia to represent the Republic of Kenya in the Senate. May you proceed to seek your statement.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker, Sir. By the way, that applies to all Senators and all Assembly men.

Sen. Omtatah, just proceed, we have concluded that matter.

Thank you, the Senator from Nandi and the Senator of the Republic of Kenya from Kakamega, not “of” Kakamega. I rise pursuant to Standing Order No.53 (1) to seek a Statement from the Standing Committee on Land, Environment and Natural Resources on a matter of inter-county concern regarding the delay in compensating owners of land whose parcels were compulsorily acquired for the Ejinja-Bumala Road …

Senator for Nandi, Sen. Cherarkey.

Mr. Speaker, Sir, with your indulgence, I would want to be referred as the Senator “from” Nandi, but the Senator of the Republic of Kenya in the national Parliament. This is so that some people do not fight us, especially when we oversight other counties like Taita or Trans Nzoia because we are the Senators of the Republic of Kenya. I rise pursuant to Standing Order No.53 (1) to seek a statement …

Senator for Migori County, Senator for Kilifi and Senator for Taita Taveta, take your seats. Let the hon. Senator from Nandi be heard in silence. You may proceed, hon. Senator.

Mr. Speaker, Sir, thank you for that indulgence. I do not take it lightly. This is so that they can reason. This is a very serious matter that should worry---

Just proceed with your statement, Hon. Senator.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker, Sir. This underscores the need to strengthen and expedite the implementation of a secure, transparent and fully functional digital land registration system, which is critical to restoring investor confidence and safeguarding property rights in the Republic. In the statement, I request the committee to address the following-

Proceed, Sen. Abass.

Mr. Speaker, Sir, I rise pursuant to Standing Order No.53 (1) to seek a statement from the Standing Committee on Education on matters of national concern regarding the continued placement of students to the Kenya Medical Training College (KMTC) by the Kenya Universities and Colleges Central Placement Services (KUCCPS) and the exclusion of qualified students from diploma medical programmes. The is…

Proceed, Sen. Onyonka.

Mr. Speaker, Sir, thank you for giving me this opportunity. I rise pursuant to Standing Order No.53 (1) to seek a statement from the Standing Committee on Education on a matter of national concern regarding the promotion of 25,252 teachers by the Teacher Service Commission on 2nd April, 2025. In the statement, the committee should address the following issues-

Proceed, Sen. Chute.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker, Sir. I rise pursuant to Standing Order No.53 (1) to seek a Statement from the Standing Committee on National Cohesion, Equal Opportunity and Regional Integration on a matter of national concern regarding equity in employment and workforce diversity in public Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVETs) institutions. In the statement, the committee should address…

Proceed, Sen. Edwin Sifuna.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker, Sir. I rise pursuant to Standing Order No.52 (1) to make a statement on a matter of general topical concern, namely, the remarkable victory by the Kenya Women's Sevens rugby team, fondly known as the Kenya Lionesses, in the World Rugby HSBC Challenger 2025 Series. At the conclusion of the series in Krakow, Poland on Saturday, 12th April, 2025, the Lionesses stood firmly at…

resilient campaign. With this victory, they have secured their place in the HSBC Challenger Playoffs, set for the first weekend of May, 2025 in Los Angeles, USA. Mr. Speaker, Sir, in March last year, I rose in this House under the same Standing Order to lament the deplorable treatment of the Lionesses by our sports authorities following their exclusion from the Africa Games in Accra, Ghana. Just …

Mr. Speaker, Sir, I rise under Standing Order No.52 (1) to make a statement on a matter of national concern namely, the recognition and honour of the brave individuals who tragically lost their lives in the Kenya Air Force Harbin Y-12. This was an aircraft from China and the incident happened on 10th April, 2006. The aircraft which departed Nairobi for Marsabit, was carrying a delegation on a cri…

Thank you, Mr. Speaker, Sir. I rise pursuant to Standing Order No.52 (1) to make a statement on a matter of countywide concern regarding the

deepening personnel and fiscal crisis within the County Government of Kakamega. If this crisis left unchecked, threatens not only the welfare and morale of county workers, but also the overall stability of service delivery and public trust in the county's governance systems. It has come to my attention that throughout the entire calendar of the year 2024, the County Government of Kakamega deducte…

The impunity with which public funds and workers' contributions have been handled in Kakamega cannot and should not be allowed to continue. It is on this basis that I call upon this House to stand with the people and workers of Kakamega County. I urge relevant investigative bodies, particularly the EACC, to move with speed to establish the circumstances surrounding these violations, identify those…

Sen. Mwaruma, your statement is under Standing Order No.53 (1) . You may proceed.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker, Sir, for the opportunity to request for a statement on the deaths of arrested persons and inmates under state custody across the country. I rise pursuant to Standing Order No.53 (1) to seek a statement from the Standing Committee on National Security, Defence and Foreign Relations on a matter of national concern regarding the deaths of arrested persons and inmates under st…

Mr. Speaker, Sir, I beg to lay the following Paper on the table of the Senate today, Thursday, 17th April, 2025- Progress Report of the Standing Committee on Devolution and Intergovernmental Relations on the Operational and Leadership Crisis Affecting the County Assembly of Nyamira. Thank you.

[(Sen. Abass laid the document on the Table)]

Thank you, Mr. Speaker, Sir. I beg to lay the following Paper to the table of the Senate today, Thursday, 17th April, 2025-

Report of the Standing Committee on Finance and Budget on the Fourth Basis for Allocation of the Share of National Revenue among Counties. I beg to lay.

Mr. Speaker, Sir, I beg to lay the following Paper to the table of the Senate today, Thursday, 17th April, 2025- Report of the Standing Committee on Land, Environment and Natural Resources on the Environment Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2024, (Senate Bills No. 23 of 2024) .

[(Sen. Faki laid the document on the Table)]

Now, we will go back and give comments on the statements that have been sought. Before that, I will allow Sen. Faki because he has a statement to make. Proceed, Senator.

[(Resumption of debate on Statements)]

Thank you, Mr. Speaker, Sir. I stand pursuant to Standing Order No.52 (1) of the Senate Standing Orders to make a statement on a matter of county-wide concern. Mr. Speaker, Sir, pursuant to Article 96 of the Constitution of Kenya, 2010, the Senate is mandated with representation, legislation and oversight duties. Representation and legislation roles are undertaken in the Senate, while the oversig…

five wards, with the exception of Kisauni Sub-County, where we covered seven wards, and Jomvu Sub-County, where we covered three wards. Upon conclusion of the tour, the oversight committee together with my office retreated and prepared an interim report, which was shared with the governor at his own invitation. We shared the interim report with the governor in the presence of his County Executive…

Mr. Speaker, Sir, I finally wish to lay a copy of this report on the table of the Senate. I thank you.

[(Applause)]

We will now move to comments on these Statements for a period not more than 20 minutes. Hon. Senators, if you have the opportunity to speak, keep it under three minutes. Well, there is another Statement here under Standing Order No52 (1) by Sen. Olekina.

[(The Clerk-at-the-Table consulted with the Speaker)]

Thank you, Mr. Speaker, Sir. I rise pursuant to Standing Order No.52 (1) to make a statement on the need to institutionalise strategic foresight and anticipatory governance in the Senate of Kenya. We live in a time of accelerated change defined by interconnected global crisis, rapid demographic shifts, disruptive technologies, as well as climate and environmental volatility that threaten both our …

pressures and a deep disconnect between Government policies and public sentiments towards the system. Had the Government institutionalised mechanisms for meaningful public participation and scenarios planning, we might have detected the signs earlier and acted before frustration turned into protest. Had we considered long-term thinking in our legislation proposals, perhaps we may have turned our …

The lack of structured approach to foresight, however, risks us passing legislation that may become obsolete in the short run and failing in our duty to protect future generations. We may overlook warning signs that could protect our economy, environment and our people. Ultimately, we risk governing reactively instead of proactively. I, therefore, propose the following concrete steps to embed for…

Next is the Statement pursuant to Standing Order No.57 (1) by the Senate Majority Leader.

Sen. Chimera, please proceed.

Thank you, Hon. Speaker, Sir. I wish to move that the Sports (Amendment) (No. 2) Bill (Senate Bills No.45 of 2024) be now read a Second Time. I start by appreciating and thanking Sen. (Prof.) Ojienda for his generosity in allowing me to co-sponsor this Bill with him. When I first set out to propose amendments to this Bill, I was informed by the office of the Legal drafter that the Senator for Kis…

River, who has just ably and eloquently spoken about the Bill as proposed by Sen. Sifuna, has also been on the forefront trying to organise basketball tournaments. Mr. Speaker, Sir, you had a chance to witness amazing football in Kwale County courtesy of Wakili Chimera Super Cup Initiatives that I have been organizing virtually in every ward. I think I have done these soccer tournaments from Mwer…

As I speak today, the Hon. Cabinet Secretary has just launched the Matuga Constituency Sports Academy at Matuga Girls. That speaks to life on this Bill. It shows that the Government has seen the need to promote talent by walking a step ahead in establishing these sports academies. With that, our young, talented men and women can have a continuous platform where they can showcase their talent and b…

Thank you, Mr. Speaker, Sir. As I rise to second the Sports (Amendment) Bill (Senate Bills No.45 of 2024) , I am impressed by the strides made by our in-law. During the Easter holidays in the village, I will ensure I pass this message to a good friend of mine, who is a father-in-law and a close associate. He is one of the synod members of the Anglican Church of Kenya (ACK) . I will implore him to …

Such matters should be resolved because at the end of the day, county assemblies must function. They must do oversight. Mr. Speaker, Sir, your success story would not have been there without a functioning and reasonable county assembly. Therefore, we should also challenge MCAs to be part of this conversation. I am happy that the Committee on Devolution and Intergovernmental Relations stated that…

Hon. Senator, it is now 6.30 p.m. You have a balance of 11 minutes. When we resume, you will consume your 11 minutes. Let us be upstanding.